The state government on Sunday claimed it has not received a single penny for Prakash Utsav from the Centre, which had set aside Rs 100 crore as funds for the event.

The state has thus opened its coffers for the event being organised to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, who was born in Patna in 1666.

Prakash Utsav, which will be celebrated between December 30 and January 8, is expected to attract around 5 lakh devotees from across the globe.

"No funds have come from the Centre for the Prakash Utsav. We had sent the preparation proposal to the Centre but nothing came. The state is spending to prepare for the event," chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said on Sunday.

Tourism, urban development and housing, art and culture, health, road, energy, home, public health and engineering, education departments are involved in the preparations.

"We won't be able to tell the exact expenditure figure now, but it is huge. Three tent cities have been set up by the tourism department for Rs 50 crore, the urban development and housing department has purchased 227 buses to coincide with the event, roads and over-bridges have been built, roads have been widened, drinking water and sanitation facilities have been provided and the municipal corporation is focusing on cleanliness," the chief secretary said.

Urban development principal secretary Chaitanya Prasad said his department was spending over Rs 50 crore, while tourism director Uma Shankar Prasad said his department has spent Rs 70 crore so far.

"The chief minister has told us that Prakash Utsav is a matter of prestige for Bihar, so money will not be a problem. We have been instructed to take steps to make the event a memorable one for devotees. The expenditure may cross Rs 150 crore," an IAS officer said.

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said Bihar government was misleading everyone, as "the railways has spent Rs 50 crore on renovation of Patna Sahib railway station, on the uplift of another station in the vicinity and re-laying of tracks".

Former minister Nand Kishore Yadav called the state's allegations "mere politics". "I have a letter that was sent to the state government from the Union ministry in January. It states Rs 41.54 crore has been allotted to Bihar for works pertaining to the construction of approach roads, upgrade and beautification of Ganga ghats," he said.

An IAS officer said the state was pointing to Rs 100 crore earmarked for the celebrations and not infrastructure work.